Lemon Grove City Council vacancy application process reopened: New filing deadline Nov. 13
By Paul Levikow
October 28, 2025 (Lemon Grove) – The Lemon Grove City Council reopened the process for filling a vacancy, after efforts to appoint a candidate failed the first time. The vacancy will fill the seat held by Councilmember Steve Faiai, who passed away in July. The difference in the next selection process will rely on ranked choice voting, in which councilmembers will list their top three choices for appointment in an effort to avoid another deadlock.
The latest development comes after the City Council voted Oct. 21 to fill the vacancy through appointment and reopen the application process, including to those who previously applied. The application deadline is Nov. 13 at 5 p.m. The council deadlocked on the two finalists during the first attempt to fill the seat. The appointment will last through December 2026.
“To ensure prior interest is respected, we are in the process of contacting individuals who applied previously to confirm whether they remain interested in being considered for the current City Council vacancy,” City Clerk Joel Pablo said. “The Council chose to reopen the process to maximize transparency and public participation, confirm continued interest from prior applicants, and invite any new applicants to be considered under the same updated timeline and procedures.”
The part-time council position receives compensation of $803 per month with benefits. Applicants must be a resident and registered voter of Lemon Grove, a United States citizen, and 18 years or older on or before appointment. They also must not have been convicted of a felony for accepting or giving, or offering to give, any bribe, the embezzlement of public money, extortion or theft of public money, perjury, or conspiracy to commit any of those crimes.
All qualified candidates will be given the opportunity to present to the City Council at its Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025 meeting beginning at 6 p.m. Each qualified applicant will have the opportunity to give a three-minute presentation to the Council, followed by questions from councilmembers. The Council may decide on an appointment during that meeting or may direct staff to schedule the matter for discussion and action at a future meeting.
The City wants to here from Lemon Grove residents on what they want in their city councilmember. A Public Question Submission Form has been posted on the city’s web site.
“According to Government Code (section 36512(b)(2)(A)), because the vacancy occurred in the first half of Councilmember Faiai’s four-year term and more than 130 days from the next general municipal election, the term for the seat filled by appointment will expire in December 2026, at which time the remaining balance of Councilmember Faiai’s term will be filled by the winner of the election in November 2026,” Pablo said. “The same seat will be up for election again in November 2028, thus, fulfilling the full term of Councilmember Faiai’s term.”
City Councilmember Jessyka Heredia issued a statement to East County Magazine.
“I’m looking forward to making another attempt to fill the vacant council seat formerly held by our well-respected councilmember…who unexpectedly passed away in July. Although we reached an impasse during the previous process, I’m confident that the new approach—allowing the public to submit questions for the council to choose from, along with the opportunity for councilmembers to craft our own—will help us identify a strong candidate,” Heredia said.
“The Council has also decided to incorporate ranked-choice voting and reopen the application process to the public, in case previous applicants choose not to reapply and to encourage new individuals who may now feel inspired to step forward,” she continued. “My goal is to have a fifth member sworn in and seated on the (City Council) by the end of the year.”
No applications had been submitted as of Oct. 27. Previous applications that were submitted by Sep. 5 can be viewed on the city’s website. Potential new candidates can also find the application to fill out and submit by Nov. 13 for the new filing period.